Cops go into overdrive as Lawrence produced in court
Aneesha Sareen
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 8
The UT police today went into an overdrive when a former student of DAV College, Sector 10, who is now a “hardened criminal” in police books — Lawrence Bishnoi — was being produced in the court today for a hearing in an ongoing attempt-to-murder case against him.
The police deputed over 40 personnel for providing security to Lawrence as well as the complainant in the case, Rajat Sharma (also a murder accused), as the police feared that Lawrence might again escape from custody (he had escaped from a Mohali court in January) or the two might turn violent after coming face to face in the court.
Rajat Sharma, the complainant in the attempt-to-murder case against Lawrence, has been arrested by the Mohali police as one of the nine accused involved in the murder of an advocate in 2013. Rajat and Lawrence were brought to the District Courts today by the Punjab Police from Nabha jail where they are lodged. The corridors of the District Courts resembled a cantonment and the presence of a huge security for the accused raised many an eyebrow.
Lawrence had escaped from the clutches of the Punjab Police as he was being produced in a court in January this year and was re-arrested in March. The UT police feared he might flee again and thus deployed a heavy force to guard him.
Besides the heavy police presence, a battery Lawrence’s supporters had come to the court and the police were on their feet to manage the crowd.
Who is Lawrence Bishnoi
Former SOPU leader Lawrence’s involvement in crime is not confined to the world of college and student elections alone. The 25-year-old, a former BA-II year student of DAV College, Sector 10, has been actively involved in cases of carjacking and extortion in his hometown Ferozepur. Son of a Ferozepur-based agriculturist, Lawrence has also been involved in many cases of student clashes in Chandigarh. Besides, the former student leader is believed to be close to Amandeep, alias Happy Deora, a dreaded gangster wanted by the Punjab Police in a number of dacoity cases.
40 cops deputed
The police deputed over 40 personnel for providing security to Lawrence as well as the complainant in an attempt-to-murder case, Rajat Sharma (also a murder accused), as the police feared that Lawrence might again escape from custody (he had escaped from a Mohali court in January) or the two might turn violent after coming face to face in the court.
